Good morning nightcap by Lúnasa Live in the button factory

Good morning nightcap by Lúnasa Live in the button factory

May 28, 2010 | , ,

This set of tunes was on their first album, the Merry sisters of fate back in 1997 I think. The first time I heard this I was sitting in a friends car. His words were, listen to this: I was amazed the drones and regulators starting with the guitar was fantastic. Listening to the remix of this on the album titled “The story so far” I loved the set even more. Last night, I was delighted to hear it live for the first time. I’d heard from friends that they gave it a lot of extra punch in a live setting but seeing or rather, listening is really believing.

Results of poll on the Listen and Learn Recordings website

May 27, 2010 |

So.

Here goes.

The response to the poll was much small than I expected or than I had hoped for.

This coupled with the lack of donations to the site to keep it running has begun to cast doubt over if I should renew hosting for it in July.

Unless I can determine a way of boosting it’s user base, I don’t really see the point in continuing it.

Here are the results:

Poll: We want to be your number one learning resource site. What do you think we should do to be better?

  • 77% of you want more audio content more frequently.
  • 8% of you want more live shows.
  • 8% of you want more assistive technology news.
  • 8% of you think there are other services out there providing the service so don’t

    • see the point of LALRecordings.

Poll: What kind of content would you like to see more of?

  • 9% of you want more content relating to accessible mobile phones.
  • 18% of you want more Windows tips.
  • 45% want Linux tutorials.
  • 9% of you want mobility aid related recordings
  • 18% of you want more on Windows screen readers.

Mad For Trad is changing.

May 26, 2010 |

Mad For Trad has been hosted on this website for the past six months. In that time, Every Saturday, from 7 to 8 GMT +1, you’ve heard crazy music, Crazy stories and crazy broadcasting from well, me.

This crazyness is going to continue.

But in a different home, a different time, a different station, a different duration, a different everything.

Well, a different everything except the show is still called Mad For Trad, I’ll still play the very best Irish traditional music known to man, dog or beast and it will still have the usual mixture of strangeness thrown in for good measure too.

So. for the details:

Station Mushroom FM. the home of the fun guys.
Day: Tuesdays.
Time: 7 to 9PM GMT +1, 2 to 4PM Eastern and 11AM to 1PM Pacific.
Show address: www.MushroomFM.com/MadForTrad

Come on.
Now you have no reason not to listen. It’s a perfect day and time for you.

See you next Tuesday.

BTW, this hasn’t been released anywhere else. Keep it to your self ok?
Can I trust you? Good. Now, keep it that way.

Or I’ll send the lads around.

My campaign to have Jaws bugs resolved.

May 25, 2010 |

I am sorry if I am annoying people on twitter in relation to the messages I am sending and recieving from Freedom scientific regarding the bug reports and issues I am emailing to freedom scientific.

I am attempting to keep users as up to date as possible as I fear that without significant pressure from the Jaws user base, we will see no improvement in the quality of this product.

To that end, I have set things up so that you can see all of the posts relating to this topic on one page.

If you use RSS to keep up to date with new content on the Internet, I have made things really easy for you. Simply point your RSS reader at the following address to recieve updates as soon as they are posted to the blog for this topic only.

Fáilte go dtí DigitalDarragh.com

Again, I call. no. I pleed with you. If you have problems with Jaws, please email Freedom scientific. It is absolutely imparitive that Freedom Scientific are pressured into fixing these problems. The action taken to resolve bugs has been minimal at best since Jaws 7 from what I can see. This needs to change.

If you have emailed Freedom scientific, forward a copy of the Email to me at d@digitaldarragh.com and I will add it to the blog so that others can see what is happening.

Thanks.

Issues with Jaws and Lotus notes 8.

May 25, 2010 |

What follows are messages between me and Freedom scientific regarding a number of problems that I have experienced with Lotus notes. Note: the problems I submitted are not an exaustive. they are just some of the most major issues that have hampered accessibility.

Greetings,

In Lotus notes 8 I have the following problems:

1. I cannot open attachments. Jaws reads the file name as it did in previous versions of Lotus notes (Example: 7.03) however when I press enter on it, the message closes and focus is left back in the inbox.

2. the auto complete functionality for the To, CC and BCC fields no longer reads correctly in this latest version of Lotus notes:

3. Control tab no longer works to move between pages. This is not a jaws issue but could be resolved with scripting.

The menus for new, reply, reply all, forward etc do not speak any more. for
example: when you press alt 2 for reply, Jaws should speak menu items such as reply, reply all etc.

The list view in the lotus notes client preferences dialogue no longer reads with Jaws. Again, this is a problem that was introduced with Lotus notes 8.

It would be appreciated by many users including my self if these issues were resolved before Jaws 12.

Thanks for your assistance.

Darragh

Response from Freedom scientific:

Dear Darragh

Thank you for contacting Freedom Scientific technical Support. I’m researching this inquiry with our senior specialist. As soon as I have some feed-back from this team, I will be emailing you back.

Be sure to include all previous correspondence pertaining to this matter when replying to this message so that we might better assist you.

Regards,
Mr. Tracey Jackson,
Technical Support Specialist
Freedom Scientific

Phone support: 727 803 8600, option #2
E-mail Support: support@freedomscientific.com
Visit our website at:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/

It will be interesting to see what they come back with. As before, this is functionality that they should have released in Jaws 11. Lotus notes 8 is not a new version in terms of it’s exposure to the public compared to Jaws versioning. Terefore in my belief, Jaws should support this latest version. I will therefore insist that these issues are resolved before the Jaws 12 release.

The wrong script files are loaded when using the MMC in Jaws 10 and 11.

May 25, 2010 |

Continuing with my promis to chace Freedom scientific in relation to every bug that I find with Jaws version 11, here are a number of emails that were sent to and from reedom scientific today in relation to an issue when using the MMC. The MMC is an administrative console that can be used to interface with Windows administrative utilities. Scripts for Audible are mistakingly loaded for this application. This issue was reported origionally with Jaws 10 but has yet to be fixed. It should also be noted that although this seems to be a reasonably easy fix to implement, Freedom scientific expect customers to use an SMA or pay for an upgrade to Jaws 12 before they fix it. In my opinion this is unjust and unfair.

Origional message from me to Freedom scientific:

Greetings,

When the MMC is used, Jaws loads the audible scripts.

This is particularly evident when the data protector application is run.
This is an application based on the MMC.

Audible obviously requires a number of tweeks to Jaws for it to run correctly however these tweeks result in some strange activity when using Data protector. For example. If the down arrow is pressed in a tree view, the pc cursor goes to the next line but then imedietly goes back to the prior line.

This has been noticed in Jaws 10 and 11.

Please note, this has no baring on the tree view issue I reported a number of weeks ago and should therefore be treated as a completely different and independent bug report. It is simply that the audible scripts are mistakingly assigned to other applications.

Thanks

Darragh Ó Héiligh

Response from Freedom scientific support:

Dear Darragh

Thank you for contacting Freedom Scientific technical Support. This is a known issue by our testing/development team. It is being evaluated to be addressed in a future release of the JAWS® screen reading software. If I can be of any additional assistance to you, feel free to email me back.

Be sure to include all previous correspondence pertaining to this matter when replying to this message so that we might better assist you.

Regards,
Mr. Tracey Jackson,
Technical Support Specialist
Freedom Scientific

Phone support: 727 803 8600, option #2
E-mail Support: support@freedomscientific.com
Visit our website at:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/

Here is my response:

Why can it not be fixed in this version?

I have explained the following point countless times. I have purchased Jaws 11. I do not expect bugs that I report to be fixed in the next version. If an oversight has been made on the part of Freedom Scientific on both Jaws 10 and 11, I expect that at the least that oversight should be fixed in some kind of supplementary update or fix. pushing the fix to Jaws version 12 or later is unacceptable.

I continue to call on Freedom scientific to fix all of the issues I have reported with Jaws 11 before Jaws 12 is released. Not doing so further illustrates the perception that of the one step forward and two steps back mentality that the jaws development structure seems to have adopted.

Again, this mail and all others have been documented for my records and the records of other Jaws users. It can no longer be tolerated that users who depend on this product continue to purchase updates simply for bugs that should have been fixed in service packs and hot fixes. his point is one that I have heard made by other users since 2001. It is high time that action is even to be taken on the part of Freedom Scientific.

I await your response.

Best regards

Darragh Ó Héiligh

I urge others to do as I have begun doing. Make an effert to report your problems to Freedom scientific and do not desist until your issues have been solved. We can no longer afford to wait for the next version before bugs are fixed. e pay a lot of money for this product. In most cases, we pay more than the Operating system it runs on. If a major bug was reported in Windows, you can be certain that Microsoft would be obligated to fix it. It would be unheard of for MIcrosoft to tell users that the bug would not be fixed until the next version of their operating system. As paying users of an application that Freedom scientific develop, we have the same right to a sound, reliable and stable product. When this is not the case, we have an obligation to report our issues.

Jaws does not always speak or respond to key strokes after computer is locked over night.

May 25, 2010 |

I’m continuing my promis to log every bug I encounter with freedom scientific.

I lgoged a problem yesterday. The description is below. I recieved a response today that is also shown below and the solution they propose is infuriating.

Greetings,

I leave both my PC’s in work powered on every day. I’ve two machines running Windows XP SP3 and Windows 7 X64.

The version of Jaws in use is that released last week.

I have found that since Jaws version 11, Windows 7 X64 does not respond when the PC is left unattended and locked for a number of hours.

This problem is not found on Windows XP.

This problem is reproducible every time and has been replicated on a number of different machines running Windows 7 X64.

Steps to problem:

Lock the machine at 5PM with Jaws still running.

Unlock the machine at 9AM.

Jaws does not respond to any commands and no speech or Braille is produced.

No other applications seem to cause it as the issue has been reproduced by rebooting the PC and leaving it sitting on the desktop.

The Jaws dump files are attached to this message.

I have also attached the dump files for Skype. I have been able to reproduce a problem where if the history log is enabled on Skype chat messages and over a thousand messages are received in one window, Jaws becomes sluggish and continues to become more sluggish over time until it eventually stops responding. This is completely unrelated to the issue reported above. I am aware that you do not distribute the Skype scripts but the issue may still be of interest to you.

If you require any more information to assist you in reproducing and resolving these issues please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards

Darragh Ó Héiligh

What follows is the response recieved by Tracey Jackson, a representative of the Freedom scientific support department:

Dear Darragh

Thank you for contacting Freedom Scientific technical Support. First of all, I want you to make sure you have disabled any sleep/hibernation/suspend mode the system may be entering in when locking it. Also, set all settings to turn off hard drives and other components to never under the power options to eliminate this as a possibility of an issue. Once this has been done, try locking the system for a long period of time and see if the issue persist.

If it does, I want you to email me back wit the serial number for the JAWS® screen reading software, the best times to reach you and the phone number you will be available on at the system. At this point, I will escalade the issue.

Be sure to include all previous correspondence pertaining to this matter when replying to this message so that we might better
assist you.

Regards,
Mr. Tracey Jackson,
Technical Support Specialist
Freedom Scientific

Phone support: 727 803 8600, option #2
E-mail Support: support@freedomscientific.com
Visit our website at:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/

Finally: Here is the response that I sent back. Of course, I will continue to document the progress or lack there of.

Tracey,

Turning off Windows power saving features isn’t a solution to a
problem that has started with Jaws11.

My serial number is 12345. –>removed.

You may contact me between 2 and 5PM GMT+1 / 9 AM to 12PM Eastern.

Darragh

Making Listen and Learn Recordings better.

May 24, 2010 |

As many of you already know, I run another site called Listen and Learn Recordings LAL Recordings for short.

I have been running this site for two years.
Unfortunately, I’ve lost motivation a little. Other things come up, I get interested in something, and LAL Recordings falls by the wayside. I try to keep it updated but I suppose, without user feedback, and more people chipping in, it can be difficult.

So, coming up to it’s second year, it’s make or break time.

I assume Listen And Learn Recordings will continue but I hope it will grow more in it’s third year than ever before. It’s grown and evolved a lot in the past eighteen months since it’s humble beginnings and in fact, with the new website ten months ago, it’s become much more professional and organised. But it can do more. It can be of help to more people! But how? What do you need and want from the site. Is it a waste of time? Are there other sites on the Internet that do a better job? Are there other topics that you would like to see explained on the site? Or, of course, would you like to see another live show on LALRecordings. The choices and possibilities are endless. You tell me what you want and I will do it.

There are two polls on the Listen And Learn Recordings website. I would really appreciate it if you would take a moment to tick a box. Of course, if you have other topics or suggestions, please always feel free to Email me.

I’ve just over two months. Two months from now, I will either say, that’s enough. Lets just archive LALRecordings and let some other site take over from it. but with any luck, I’ll get some useful feed back from these questions and I’ll launch year three with some very specific plans and aims.

I’ve loved doing Listen And Learn Recordings. It’s something that I hope is of benefit to people. Lets keep that continuing.

Thanks.

Circular breathing while playing the whistle.

May 24, 2010 |

It’s unusual for me to blog twice in one day, but you really need to take a look at this. It’s incredible! This fella is playing the whistle while using circular breathing. I’ve never heard anything like it.

Interestingly, I felt light headed while listening to him as being a whistle player my self, I know what it’s like holding a note for too long and trying to catch up. I kept expecting him to phraze things by taking a quick breath but that breath never came! Astounding!

Seirously. Even if your not a musician or you have no interest in Irish music, your still going to appreciate this tallent.

Hmmmm. I’d love to be able to do it. Any tips?

Jaws does not respond after a long period of inactivity in Windows 7.

May 24, 2010 |

The below is another email that I have sent to Freedom Scientific support this morning in relation to two other bugs / problems that I have encountered with Jaws 11. This continues on from my promis last week that I will highlight every single problem that I find while using Jaws 11 as I can no longer afford to Tollerate the amount of issues I have experienced with this version of the screen reader.

It is my hope that these reports will be actioned with updates to Jaws 11. In my opinion it would be unfair and unjust to expect consumers of Jaws for Windows to pay for the resolution of these bugs in version 12 of the product so I have repeatedly asked that these problems are fixed in hot fixes to Jaws 11. I urge other users of Jaws 11 to follow this example. It is time that Freedom Scientific improve the quality of their Jaws for windows product. even if this means limiting the speed of the development of enhancements and new features.

Greetings,

I leave both my PC’s in work powered on every day. I’ve two machines running Windows XP SP3 and Windows 7 X64.
The version of Jaws in use is that released last week.

I have found that since Jaws version 11, Windows 7 X64 does not respond when the PC is left unattended and locked for a number of hours.

This problem is not found on Windows XP.

This problem is reproduceable every time and has been replicated on a number of different machines running Windows 7 X64.

Steps to problem:
Lock the machine at 5PM with Jaws still running.
Unlock the machine at 9AM.
Jaws does not respond to any commands and no speech or Braille is produced.

No other applications seem to cause it as the issue has been reproduced by rebooting the PC and leaving it sitting on the desktop.

The Jaws dump files are attached to this message.

I have also attached the dump files for Skype. I have been able to reproduce a problem where if the history log is enabled on skype chat messages and over a thousand messages are received in one window, Jaws becomes sluggish and continues to become more sluggish over time until it eventually stops responding. This is completely unrelated to the issue reported above. I am aware that you do not distribute the Skype scripts but the issue may still be of interest to you.

If you require any more information to assist you in reproducing and resolving these issues please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards

Darragh Ó Héiligh